MN HF1418

Transfers administration of the Collaborative Urban and Greater Minnesota Educators of Color Grant Program and teacher mentoring grant programs from the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) to the Department of Education, including all associated contracts, staff, and unexpended funds

Removes the requirement for Tier 1 license holders to take a content examination for license renewal, while maintaining requirements for cultural competency training and mental illness training

Appropriates $5,440,000 annually for FY2026-2027 for educators of color grants and $4,500,000 annually for teacher mentoring/retention programs, with the Department of Education permitted to retain 3-5% for administration

Appropriates $7,966,000 over FY2026-2027 to PELSB for alternative pathways support ($413,000), heritage language teacher programs ($641,000), and licensure via portfolio online platform development ($792,000)

Extends the grant spending period from two years to four years for educators of color grants and changes the grant award deadline from August 15 to November 15